1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to compositions comprising hematopoiesis-modulating aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (AARS) polypeptides, related agents such as antibodies and binding agents that modulate the activity of the AARS polypeptides, and methods of using such compositions and agents for modulating hematopoiesis.
2. Description of the Related Art
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, which catalyze the aminoacylation of tRNA molecules, are essential for decoding genetic information during the process of translation. In higher eukaryotes, some aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases associate with other polypeptides to form supramolecular multienzyme complexes. Each of the eukaryotic tRNA synthetases consists of a core enzyme, which is closely related to the prokaryotic counterpart of the tRNA synthetase, and one or more additional domains that are appended to the amino-terminal or carboxyl-terminal end of the core enzyme. Human tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase (YRS), for example, has a carboxyl-terminal domain that is not part of prokaryotic and lower eukaryotic YRS molecules.
Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases, such as tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase, tryptophan-tRNA synthetase, and others, are associated with expanded functions in mammalian cells, including activities in signal transduction pathways, among others.